Direction indicating turnbutton for clocks, etc.



Aug. 4, "1931. J. o. SIMPSON 1,817,447

nmnc'rxou mmcume TURNBUTTON FOR CLOCKS, mo

Filed Nov. 19, 1930 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN O. SIMPSON, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO THE E. INGBAHAM COM- l PANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION DIRECTION INDICATING TURNBUTTON FOR CLOCKS, ETC.

Application filed November 19, 1930. Serial No. 496,787.

This invention relates to an improvement in direction-indicating turn-buttons of the type especially adapted for use in clocks, such as for setting the hands, the alarmpointer, and for starting synchronous-motor electric clocks, etc., etc.

Heretofore, direction-indicating turn-buttons for clocks, etc., have had arrows or other direction-indicating characters printed thereupon or impressed therein by stamping the same into the metal.

The above methods of marking the turnhuttons to indicate the direction in which they are intended to be turned are open to the serious objections that when printed, the directionindicating characters wear off in a very short time and when stamped into the metal, they are so indistinct as to remain unobserved by the user of the clock, with the result that he is not only exasperated by the failure of the clock to respond correctly to the manipulation of the turnbutton, but often the mechanism of the clock itself is damaged by rotating its turn-button in the wrong direction.

Perhaps the best example of the irritation i ably will not be observed by the user until some later time, thus occasioning both an noyance and confusion and often bringing the clock itself into undeserved disrepute.

The main object of this invention is to provide means whereby the instructions for the proper direction of rotation for a turnbutton Wlll be so permanent, self-evident and clear despite continued useas to avoid mistakes on the part of the user and consequent dissatisfaction with the clock, etc.

WVith the above and other objects in view as willappear from the following, my in vention consists in the combination with an arbor; of a reflecting-surface adjacent to the said arbor; a directions-indicating turnbutton consisting of a relatively-thin and Wide disk provided with a hub, and having a cut-out portion in the form of a directionindicating character extending completely through its disk-portion from the front to the rear faces thereof; the said directionindicating turn-button being mounted upon the said arbor in a position in front of the said reflectingsurface so that the light from the latter will assist in causing the said out out portion of the turn-button to stand out in clear relief.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken perspective view of a direction-indicating turn-button shown as mounted upon an arbor in front of a refiecting-surfacein accordance with my invention; and

Fig. Q'is a vertical longitudinal sectional .View thereof.

The embodiment of my invention herein chosen for illustration consists of a turnbutton 10 having a relatively-thin and wide disk-portion 11 provided on its periphery with finger-grip serrations, and a hub 12 provided with an axial socket 13 and longitudinally bifurcated as at 14 to frictionally grip the outer endof an arbor 15 which extendsinto the said bore 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. i

The arbor 15 projects outwardly through a clearance-opening 16 in a reflecting-plate or surface '17 which latter may constitute the dial, dial-mat or back-plate of a clock, or any other regular or special feature thereof, so long as it discharges the function required of it as will hereinafter appear.

The disk-portion 11 of the turn-button 10 extends substantially parallel with the reflecting-plate 17 and is provided near its periphery with an arcuate cut-out portion 18 extending completely therethrough from its front to its rear face and having the form of an arrow, as shown, or any other suitable character for indicating direction.

lVith the parts constructed and arranged as shown in the drawings, the cut-out portion 18 in the disk 11 will be caused to stand out in clear relief by the combined action of the shadows which it will cause, and light-rays reflected from the outer face of the reflecting-plate 17, which rays will take the path substantially as indicated by broken lines 19 in Fig. 2.

lVhile I have referred to the surface of the plate 17 as being a reflecting-surface I wish to have that term understood in connection with my invention as designating any surface which will provide a relief set ting for the cut-through portion 18 of the disk 11. I have found that practically all combinations of finishes and color will serve for this purpose and that even black, with its very low reflectingprop 'es, will produce a background for the said cut-through portion sufficiently to bring the same into clear relief.

I have also found that even though the outer face of the disk 11 and the reflectingsurface 17 are of the same color or finish, such for instance as a nickel or chromium plate, and theoretically without any con trast, a marked relief of the direction-indicating character 18 c t through the disk 11 is obtained. An explanation of the latter condition probably consists in the fact that the inner and outer walls of the cut-through portion 18 serves to sharply reflect a certain amount of light received from the surface 17.

By means of my invention I not only initially provide a direction-indicating character of marked clarity, but one which will endure and be effective despite long usage, and have thereby overcome one of the constant sources of annoyance to users of clocks. i

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that my invention may assume varied physical forms without departing from my inventive concept and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the specific embodiment herein chosen for illustration, but only as indicated in the appended claim.

I claim:

The combination with an arbor; of a re fleeting-surface adjacent to the said arbor; a direction-indicating turn-button mounted upon the said arbor and consisting of a specification.

JOHN O. SIMPSON. 

